Saving Grace
by Aero-Cluster
Summary: He realizes it's hard to run away from the ghosts of the past, and even harder to chase down the life just within his grasp. AU. Jerza.
1. Six Feet Under

**A/N: I'm back! Sorry to just leave you guys off like that. I feel terrible honestly. So here I am apologizing and I'm not going to make any excuses because I suck.**

**P.S. I'll be updating Poetry In Motion in a couple of days. Oh and just so you know, I've deleted one of my stories, Pushing Up Daisies because I was getting nowhere with it and it just sucked. Bleh. I'll stop now so you can read on. Forgive the mistakes and tell me what you think m'kay? :D**

* * *

**Saving Grace**  
He realizes it's hard to run away from the ghosts of the past, and even harder to chase down the life just within his grasp.

**Chapter One  
****Six Feet Under**

It was raining hard. People who had predicted the downpour brought umbrellas with them and managed to avoid getting themselves wet. A few who had miscalculated the weather were either running down the busy streets to take cover, or were getting soaked like it didn't matter at all. The latter was proven when a man casually walked down the wet pavement of the road, the pitter patter of the raindrops on his cap under the hood of his jacket was like a rhythm that directed the flow of his movement—slow and precise. He crossed the street and stopped in front of a small restaurant.

The soft clanging of a bell signaled his entrance and his dripping form caught quite a lot of attention. He reached the far end of the room and settled down with a man who was sternly looking back and forth from the shady looking guy in front of him and to the foggy view outside the window.

"You weren't followed were you?" Amethyst eyes bore intensely at the hooded figure. His eyes searching for any signs of deceit and treachery. He was good at this—an expert even—because he was known as the head of the first division in the Criminal Investigation Bureau.

"I wasn't. I made sure of that Lahar." the deep and low voice was cool and composed.

The man known as Lahar exhaled.

"Very well. Report."

The man removed his hood and took off his cap. From underneath the clothing concealing his face was a tousled mop of wet ultramarine locks and a striking red tattoo from his right forehead extending all the way down to his cheek.

"It's Kyouka, I've finally gained her trust." With this, Lahar was all ears. A high level of seriousness present on his hardened face. "This time, she's targeting Yajima."

The cop just scoffed, realizing that his guess was right all along.

_That demon bitch! She's targeting another high military official!_

"She'll be at the "Sleepless Town"—Kabukichō tonight at quarter to twelve."

"At Shinjuku? General Yajima is stationed at Shibuya, why would she—" Lahar's eyes widened in confusion. It didn't make any sense as to why Kyouka will be heading to the neighboring city when she could finish said man in Shibuya.

"Yajima and his men are going to conduct an important meeting at a local nightclub as to avoid any suspicion." the ultramarine's lips formed to a thin line and as he frowned. "But as expected, Kyouka was already way ahead of him."

"Very well. I must contact and relay the message to the general. I'll also prepare my men for the encounter tonight." he sighed. "One more thing. Will she be doing this alone like she usually does?"

Purple bled into green. The man who relayed out the information shook his head.

"No, I will be with her tonight."

Lahar smirked. It had been a while since the last time he smiled. Maybe it was because that they finally have a chance of capturing one of the most notorious killers in Japan; the one who was responsible for all the deaths of most of the military leaders.

And this man, this very man in front of him, the double agent who had been working for him in the past couple of months was their trump card.

"Then I expect to see you again after we've delivered, Jellal."

* * *

Jellal hadn't warned the head policeman that one shouldn't count chickens before they hatched. The operation was failing, the nightclub's a wreck, the majority of the cops were dead before they were in action and Lahar with a few couple of other policemen were the only ones left. Kyouka had brought along three of her best men as skilled as her and that was the reason the mission was in ruins. If Lahar and Jellal had known, they wouldn't have taken her lightly and the head officer might've brought along ten more men. Luckily, they've managed to kill all three of her accomplices, leaving her all alone. Still, taking her with only a few men and ammunition was still a hard task.

He hissed in pain as the wound on his shoulder throbbed. Apparently, Lahar wasn't as clever as the locals described him. He was a complete idiot for not even mentioning that yes, Jellal was on their side before the operation had begun. Now, he was one of their targets too because Lahar had his hands full on the mastermind Kyouka.

_Damn that cop! The least he could do was tell his subordinates!_

Jellal tore his shirt and wrapped his torn flesh, grunting in the process as he applied pressure on it. This was it. There was no turning back now. The battlefield they're in is filled with nothing but bullets and rubbles. He was sure as hell that if he made even the tiniest of mistakes, he'd be sending one foot to the grave. The ultramarine had already devised a plan in his head where drastic measures had to be taken. He wasn't an idiot. It was either to blow his cover as a double agent working for the police, or be killed by the police. If he were to die now—and the odds were remarkably high—he'd die as a martyr. Not a goddamned accomplice of a murderer.

Lahar then directed his men to secure General Yajima while he pursued Kyouka alone and Jellal, knowing the difference between the two, rose to his feet and ran outside. The victor of this clash wouldn't be measured in feats of strengths or wits or ranks. It will be measured on whose mindset was to kill. And Lahar didn't have that. What he had in mind was justice, which was soon going to be his downfall. He rallied past confused crowds with his lungs burning in fatigue and lack of air. His vision was getting hazy from blood loss and the rain just wasn't letting up. He knew he'd be in trouble if he kept this pace up or if he even tried to rescue Lahar.

He heard a gunshot from a nearby alley and decided to check it out. Placing all his strength left on his feet, he dashed onwards and he was just in time for the second bullet to hit the chest of Lahar as he slumped to the ground.

"Jellal, you're still alive?" If the tone in her voice was out of surprise or disgust, he didn't know. Right now he was still the trump card. He still had her trust and right at that moment, he was focused more on killing this whore. As he was about to pull the glass shard stuck on his left thigh to flake her skin out, a third gunshot had his right ear ringing at the proximity of the sound.

Kyouka was hit on her forearm but it wasn't enough to make her fall. It was quite the opposite in fact; she avoided the remaining shots fired at her with inhuman speed, shooting the rookie officer on his leg. He was lucky that it was her last bullet, because if she still had another round of ammunition, he'd be having much more holes than a cheese grater. But this was a sadistic killer they're facing, and Kyouka doesn't leave anyone who had witnessed her vulgar act of slaughtering people alive. Jellal quickly moved, slashing at the officer's face who refused to surrender to fear. Jellal kicked the cop hard on his stomach and watched as he blacked out on the muddy ground.

"We have to get moving." he told her in between pants.

"He isn't dead yet." Kyouka's cold and sinister voice sent shivers down the ultramarine's spine. He gritted his teeth, if he failed to save Lahar, the least he could do is save at least one of his men.

"No he isn't, and the lot of them still aren't. I can hear them coming and we're outnumbered. We have to go now." Jellal was grateful that the pouring rain was there to aid his lies. There weren't thundering footsteps or hushed orders in the distance, but the gloomy weather was enough to convince her.

"Fine! Get in the truck!" she barked at him, and Jellal took the wheel and drove. He made a sharp turn to the left and zoomed past the streets. It only took him a few minutes before reaching the national highway. They've managed to escape and luckily, they've left no trail. It was time to take things up a notch, Jellal thought and as he planned to use the trust she had in him against her, he stepped on the gas pedal, rapidly bringing the speedometer's numbers to a hundred.

"You're going too fast!" she hissed, holding onto his arm with a vice-like grip. Jellal ignored her and kept on increasing the speed, ignoring the numbness that was settling on the foot that was on the gas pedal. Kyouka tried to grab a hold of the steering wheel but the ultramarine was already set on track.

There at the road ahead of them was a dangerous curve, and at the bottom of it was a deep ravine. He kept his foot firmly glued to the gas pedal even if Kyouka was raking her fingernails at him. Realizing that there was no way to stop him, she prepared to jump right out of the truck. Jellal grabbed her arm and handcuffed her to the steering wheel. It was a hopeless case for her now; even if she managed and tried to make the turn, at the speed that they're going, there was only one way the truck was headed.

"You're going to hell with me bitch."

* * *

The first thing that enveloped him was darkness, then it was followed by the stinging pain in his head. Jellal slowly opened his eyes, dim light flooding his vision.

"Oh god. You're finally awake." Jellal knew that voice. It was so familiar that even without his sight, he'd still manage to identify to whom it belonged to.

"U-Ultea-r? Where am I?" he croaked, head spinning as he tried to motion his head to look at her.

"We're at an abandoned warehouse in Shinjuku. It was the farthest place my Jetta could take us in your condition." Ultear wrung a wet cloth before wiping the remaining dirt and dried blood off of his chest.

"What happened?" Jellal forced himself to sit up but the female's hands pinned him down.

"Don't strain yourself. I did just finish patching you up."

"What happened?"

Ultear sighed.

_What is it with men and details? Can't he just say thank you and inquire later?_

"You were lucky I was in the area. Hell, you were lucky that I was only a few cars away. Meredy and I found you lying on the ground, just a few meters away from the truck that exploded. What the hell happened to you?"

Jellal sighed. It was right at the split second when the truck was about to hit the ground did his reflex work. He kicked open the truck's door and jumped out just in time for the crash. That was also the time that he blacked out.

"I—We were in the middle of an operation and," the sour memory of Lahar's slumped body on the floor made the bile rise to his throat. "Lahar was killed."

Ultear swallowed but the shock was evident on her face. She bit her lower lip, trying her hardest to suppress the aftershock of the groundbreaking news. He was her boss too after all.

"I just don't know if Yajima made it out alive." he grunted, massaging his temple with a free hand.

"Who was it?"

Suddenly flashes of the horrible tragedy played in his mind and he bolted upright from where he was lying.

"Kyouka! Was she in the truck? Did you find her body?" Jellal grabbed both of Ultear's wrists and the woman just shook her head and frowned.

"No. I didn't bother to check. The truck was a wreck and your safety was my priority."

"Kyouka's a mass murderer! You should've checked on her first before me!" he yelled at her but Ultear just remained stoic as she slapped him.

"I would've if I had known."

Jellal sank back into bed. She was right. If Ultear had known, she would've done so because she was a cop, and she had always worked for the greater good.

"If this involved the case of Kyouka," her features suddenly darkened. "Do the other officers know?"

Jellal slowly shook his head as he let out a weary breath.

"No. That goddamned Lahar failed to brief them. Now I'm a wanted man. You and Lahar are the only ones who knew."

"I can fake your death if you want to. I am a member of the Medical Examiner's Group anyway."

Jellal considered this as a great deal but right now, the city's cops were probably at the wreckage and right about now, they must've found Kyouka's body charred ultimately. There was no need to fake his death because nobody but Lahar and Ultear knew.

"No. Faking my death would only raise suspicions. Besides, the police would overlook me if somehow, they don't recover her body. Searching for her is going to be their top priority. If however, they did find her body, they would be too busy celebrating and my existence would be just the same as the shadows. I'm insignificant."

Ultear weighed his words and decided that he was right.

"But there is something I want you to do for me." Jellal stated, and even if his body was in tatters, his mind was still in one piece. No wonder Lahar picked him as one of his secret agents. "I want you to change my identity. Change everything. Make sure to erase Jellal Fernandes from all the records. Can you do that for me?"

"Give me a whole week."

Jellal nodded in approval as he closed his eyes. He was tired. He was exhausted from living this kind of life. A life that never suited his tastes and principles to begin with. It was time to let go of this kind of living and start living for himself. It was time to stop working in the shadows and stop taking the blame for everything that he had saved.

It was now time to see the light.

"Oh, you might want to change your hair color, and probably schedule for a laser surgery to remove that tattoo on your face. That might blow the cover away."

"There's no need." Jellal grunted.

"You have to take extra care. You are still a wanted man after all, and there's no guarantee that the police won't be issuing a warrant of arrest for you."

"That's why you're in the picture Ultear. You're going to fake my identity. Make me Jellal Fernandes's twin brother."

"Nobody's going to buy that." she flatly stated.

"I told you, I am a nobody. I've got no family left. However, if there's someone that looks a lot like me, living in some remote area, the warrant is issued, I'm seen and then an interrogation happens, they look at the records that you faked and I'm cleared."

Ultear narrowed her eyes. He's good. Too good to be true. Where the hell did Lahar manage to fish him out? Was he a retired member of an intelligence agency? But he's so young!

"You'd really go far as to fake a twin brother rather than change you face?"

He smirked.

"This face gets the ladies."

Ultear rolled her eyes. The mood seemed lighter than earlier and she wondered if that was one of his intentions as well.

"Be careful alright? I don't want you and Meredy getting involved." he said with much sincerity laced in his voice.

"When was the last time that we didn't get involved?" she shrugged, taking his words far too lightly.

"Ultear, I'm serious. After this, don't get involved with me anymore. I might be an asshole for not returning the favor but trust me, it's for the best." he stated and Ultear held his gaze. She dabbed at his wounded shoulder and he winced in pain. "Ouch woman, what the hell?"

"You'll pay your debts in full when you keep Meredy and I in contact. Got that?"

He heaved a weary sigh. This woman was stubborn indeed.

"Look Ultear—"

"It's that or the whole deal's off."

Jellal pressed his mouth to form a thin line before muttering to himself.

"Fine."

He heard her squeal in delight as she resumed cleaning his wounds.

"Hey,"

"What?"

"Your name."

"What about my name?"

Ultear rolled her eyes.

"What is your name going to be? Do I get to pick or do you get to decide?"

His mouth formed a small "o" when it dawned on him. Ultear thought he wasn't that much of a genius after all if he can't even decide on a name.

"Well?" she asked when he awfully became quiet all of a sudden.

"Siegrain. Siegrain Fernandes. The twin brother of Jellal Fernandes."


	2. Far, Far Away

**A/N: Don't know much about Japan's geography so if I made a mistake, please tell me. :)**

He realizes it's hard to run away from the ghosts of the past, and even harder to chase down the life just within his grasp.

Chapter Two

Far, Far Away

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to take a couple more days to rest?"

The dark-haired woman was in the middle of packing pile after pile of clothes after she was finished stacking up a generous amount of food inside one bag. She had asked the same question over and over again in a single day and Jellal was getting tired of repeating himself.

"I've wasted the whole week lying in bed and getting nothing done." he removed the last bandage and tested his newly healed shoulder by giving it a couple of light twists and rotations. It hurt still, but now the pain was bearable. Ultear handed him a black muscle shirt before tossing a beige-colored hoodie. He caught it in mid-air and immediately slipped them on.

"Any news from the forensic division?" he asked, and Ultear could feel his eyes boring in to her back.

She sighed and drank from her cup, the dark circles under her eyes were a solid proof that she had been working nonstop for the past few days. Jellal actually would let her rest until she was in the mood to talk, but the matter at hand was simply far too important to just pass up.

"You know it takes about several weeks to issue an official announcement." Jellal ran a hand through tousled cerulean locks.

"There are still no results from the autopsy?"

Ultear leaned at a rusty pillar situated inside the abandoned warehouse before answering his question. Kyouka's body was found at about an hour when Ultear called the police. She was literally roasted alive and the extensive burns that covered her body almost made it impossible to identify that it's her. Kyouka was found just right beside the truck where the police conferred that she managed to crawl out—there was a broken handcuff on her wrist and the other half was linked on the broken steering wheel—and died right after a couple of minutes.

"None. I believe it's still going to take several weeks. They have to do other tests, probably a follow-up analysis on her dental records since she was burnt pretty bad that they couldn't make use of her hair samples. If an extensive study isn't needed, we'll be lucky to have the results in two to three weeks and six to eight weeks before it gets into public."

The ultramarine nodded slowly and Ultear watched him as he silently put the pieces together in his mind.

"Who's performing the examination?"

"Our division head, General Crawford Seam."

"I see," Jellal thought that it was only fitting that someone as respectable and experienced in the field of forensic pathology should handle the case.

Ultear tossed him a heavy bag and it landed on the ultramarine's chest with an audible thud. Clearly that one had got to hurt seeing as he snarled at her, glaring at the woman who was visibly enjoying a cup of hot chocolate with a smug on her face.

"Stop brooding. It's contagious you know?"

Jellal scoffed in mock annoyance. Ultear laughed at this and softly spoke.

"I'm sorry I didn't bring Meredy with me."

"It's fine. Besides, we don't want her getting involved with a fugitive."

"You're not—"

"Thanks Ultear."

She didn't get to finish her sentence as she was rendered speechless and surprised by his sudden outburst of gratitude. Ultear offered a warm smile in return. She figured that there was a limit with what words can express and realized that there was a lot more meaning in a simple act.

"You know," Jellal chuckled. "It's good that you didn't bring me to the hospital when you saw me all bloody and lifeless. Didn't want the hospital to record everything which would've fucked everything up so thanks."

"Well, seeing as you have a bad reputation of fucking yourself up, I really had no choice but to do the right thing."

Jellal laughed at this.

"But seriously, you're going to have to start living right."

"Ah, I get that a lot."

Ultear glared at him.

"No you don't. And stop being a freaking martyr. Not everyone's worth it so start living selfishly—a moderate selfish kind of living I mean. You got that?"

"Yes ma'am." Jellal slung the backpack on his good shoulder and grabbed a couple more hand carried bags.

"You're a good man Jellal." he knew this was her parting message. It was time to leave and he didn't want to cause his good friend any more trouble. He was going to start off fresh and as hard as it was on his part to leave Ultear and Meredy be, it was for their safety. It was for the best.

"Thanks for the reminder." he donned his baseball cap on and smiled at her one final time.

"Don't forget to contact us when you reach Otaru."

"Do I have to?" he teasingly asked and she just gave him a slap on the arm.

"Yes, or I'm going to have to arrange a trip to Otaru myself. Don't try me Jellal." she warned and Jellal, knowing her full well, believes that she'll stay true to her word.

"I will, and that's Siegrain to you."

If he had known that the Ultear specifically chose the remote area in Hokkaido, he wouldn't have given her the authority to do so. The trip was a gruesome twelve hour journey from trains and now to a ferry. Jellal still had a full three—if he was lucky—long hours to endure to reach his destination.

"She could've settled for Kyoto, or Osaka, or Fukushima, but she had to choose the northern side of the country!" he grumbled to himself, disturbing a couple of old people who were out on the deck. He sighed whether in relief or fatigue, that he couldn't decide on himself. This was definitely something new for him. If he was his old self, travelling and starting over wouldn't even cross his mind; the years and the people around him had changed him and he was thankful for that.

Jellal didn't really know what to feel. But if there was one feeling that was taking over, it was fear. Fear of being accepted into society. Fear of fitting in. Fear of—

_You're a good man Jellal._

He closed his eyes and let the sea's humid air brush his face.

_Ultear's right, and I don't have to fear anything._

* * *

A thirty minute train ride marked the end of his long trip. The place was absolutely breathtaking; it looked exactly like the place was taken out from a tourist guide book with the gleaming view of the Ishikari Bay, the beautiful mountain slopes from the distance and the old, historical buildings that made Jellal feel like he was in a different period. The place was peaceful just as Ultear had told him. It was the perfect place to start anew.

He breathed in the crisp, cold air and headed towards his first destination. As hungry as he was, he had already lost his appetite due to the gruesome trip, so before anything else, he searched for the perfect place to spend the night, and possibly his whole stay in the region.

He reached a certain area in Otaru named Hill Town and compared to the area near the harbor point, this one was situated as its name suggests, overlooking the wonderful view of the bay and the steep slopes of the mountain ranges. It was secluded from the busy ports below with just a few residents in the area. For the ultramarine, this was the best way to start; not too remote and not too popular either and being a new resident, he figured he could work his way from the top of the hill to the bottom, where people usually go through.

Jellal crossed out one of his agenda and settled down for a bit. The next one on his list was to find a job. He knew he couldn't keep the money Ultear had loaned him for the next couple of days because he'd run out eventually if he can't find a decent job.

"Alright," his stomach rumbled in protest as he sighed wearily. "Guess I'll have to eat first. The job can wait."

He walked down a couple of blocks wearing the hoodie Ultear had given him and entered the first restaurant he saw. It was a small place and had a crude name for a restaurant—Bisland—the inside was plain compared to the flashy and neon lights that decorated the place. Jellal smiled as the atmosphere had a homey feel to it. Realizing that he had zoned out for a little while, he was surprised to see the place full. There were no more seats available and he sighed.

"Great..." he muttered to himself as he prepared to leave. He was just about to reach out for the door handle when someone called out to him.

"Hey!" Alarmed, he spun his head to where the voice came from and knitted his brows, pointing a finger at himself. The female nodded and Jellal approached her cautiously.

"You can share seats with me if that's alright with you." she offered and Jellal just stared at her. She was the first person who actually showed kindness to him when he had set foot in Otaru. He calmly took a seat opposite hers and stared at her intensely. Does she know who he was? Was she one of Kyouka's minions and was sent to slaughter him?

"Is there...something on my face?" the woman who raised a brow in confusion asked, placing her cup of coffee down as she ran a hand over her cheek.

"Oh, sorry I didn't mean to stare. That was rude of me." _Keep it together Fernandes and stop overanalyzing things._

"Here." she passed on a list of menu that was laid across the table and Jellal gingerly took it from her.

She let out an amused laugh, a sound that Jellal found very pleasing to his ear.

"I don't bite." And she flashed her pearly whites at him.

"I'm sorry, I don't usually socialize." he replied softly, his voice barely audible.

"Hmm...you a tourist?" she asked, keeping her warm gaze glued to his phthalo orbs.

"I just moved in." he said simply, keeping things short and clipped. He was careful about giving information because of the risks of being identified as a fugitive. As of now, he himself was the only person he can trust.

"Oh. Jingisukan."

"I'm sorry?"

The stranger grabbed the menu right out of his hands and pointed to a certain dish that made him blink in surprise.

"Jingisukan. If you're a new resident, you should try this. It's this restaurant's specialty."

"Oh...okay." Jellal absent-mindedly called for the waitress and turned his order. Once he was done, he dropped his gaze on the table, refusing to converse anymore with the redhead.

"You don't talk too much do you?"

He sighed.

"I'm not good with people." Jellal confessed and the remaining minutes agonizingly floated away slowly and Jellal wished that he shouldn't have taken her offer of sharing the table, or better yet, wished that the redhead should just stand up and leave. The waitress who took his order came back with a convex metal skillet.

The aroma of the lamb's meat was enough to make him gulp and salivate but the latter he chose to gulp down because the redhead from across the table was eyeing him intently with a smile on her face.

"It's...it's good." he complimented, the remark coming out as honest as he had intended it to be.

The lady just chuckled and finished her cup of coffee. She grabbed her coat and prepared to leave.

"I have to go. Welcome to Hill Town, um..." her hand was outstretched in front of her and Jellal gingerly grabbed her hand and was taken by surprise at how soft it was. He thought that hand would be just like her face—hard and stern—but it was soft, and pliant. He gave a warm smile before his eyes lit up with mischief.

"Ultramarine." he chuckled and she smiled playfully at this.

"Nice to meet you Ultramarine, I'm Scarlet."

Jellal's grin broadened as the woman tossed her red hair aside, emphasizing her point of playing this game he had started himself. He shrugged in defeat and ran a hand through tousled cerulean locks.

"My apologies. It's actually Je—Siegrain."

"Jeseigrain?" she tested the his name and frowned. "Hmm, that's a peculiar name indeed."

He laughed.

"Siegrain. Siegrain Fernandes."

She returned his smile.

"Erza. Erza Scarlet."

Jellal nearly choked on the meat that he shoved in his mouth as he made an incoherent and sloppy noise.

"What? You're not kidding when you introduced yourself as Scarlet?"

She smirked at him, making him grab a glass of water.

"No I was not and I had assumed that you really were named Ultramarine." The woman named after a shade of red bowed her head and bid goodbye. "I hope you'll enjoy your stay in Otaru Mister Fernandes."

Jellal waved back to her, smiling genuinely as he put an end to the conversation.

"Oh, I already am Miss Scarlet."

* * *

**A/N: Next, Jellal finds a job and meets the locals**


	3. Charity Strike Shot

**Saving Grace**  
He realizes it's hard to run away from the ghosts of the past, and even harder to chase down the life just within his grasp.

**Chapter Three  
****Charity Strike Shot**

"You know I almost booked a flight to where you are!" the voice from the end of the receiver was mad, but there was also a touch of relief in that worked up tone.

"Well, if you hadn't sent me away to the ends of the earth, then I wouldn't have been so tired. Maybe then, I could have called right away." Jellal sighed, his head throbbing due to last night's lack of sleep.

"Damn it Jellal, a text message would've sufficed."

"I know," his voice was soft and low. "I'm sorry. How are you and Meredy?"

"We're fine. Hey," the way she began had a certain degree of seriousness that Jellal focused on Ultear's voice. He had guessed by no that there was something she'd say regarding the issue with Kyouko.

"Be careful out there."

"What? And here I thought you have news about Kyouko. What's the update so far?"

Ultear sighed at the other end before speaking.

"Nothing significant yet. Although everything's being thoroughly processed at the moment."

That's right, Jellal thought. It's going to take a lot more time and he's going to need to be a lot more patient.

"Alright, call me if you get something...anything. I'm gonna hang up now."

"I will."

He ended the call right after the confirmation and he slumped to the mattress of the bed. He tried to rid his mind of anything that had to do with crime and the police. This was a second chance, a second life as Siegrain. The least he could do was live it. Jellal slipped off his shirt and decided to shower. Until everything about Kyouka was still in-progress, the only thing he could do was wait. Though to do that without driving himself to the brink of insanity, he'd have to find a way to get distracted. And living his new life in Hill Town was the perfect means of escape.

Since Jellal had no way of earning money, he couldn't simply depend on Ultear to send him cash monthly nor can he steal from the locals in town. He was going to turn into a new leaf and to do that he decided he'd go find a job that would pay decently.

"That could wait after breakfast." he felt the rumble in his stomach growing by the minute. He grabbed some cash and headed outside. Minutes of looking out for the perfect spot to eat took forever. Either the shops were closed or this place totally had no convenience stores. Jellal was already pushing down the unpleasant feeling of having to go down the hill and search for a place to have breakfast since it seemed like that's where civilization is. But he knew that a trip to that area will cost him the last of his remaining energy. He'd either faint and collapse due to hunger or tumble and roll down and end up injured. He couldn't risk it.

"Siegrain?"

Jellal knew there was only one person who he had introduced himself to and he spun around to see the redhead he met last night donning a sweatshirt and leggings. He didn't need to be told twice what she was doing or where she was heading to.

"Miss Scarlet." he greeted.

"Please, just Erza." she told him, mildly amused. "You're up so early in the morning. Are you running too?"

Jellal scratched the back of his head, thinking twice if stating out his reason was embarrassing or not.

"Actually, it's my stomach that woke me up."

Erza smiled sympathetically.

"Well I know one place that's open during this time around." she motioned for him to follow her.

Alarmed that he was bothering and taking too much of the redhead's time already he simply shook his head.

"It's fine, I'll just head down the hill to get breakfast." Just as he said it, his stomach betrayed him by growling in protest.

Erza raised a brow before smiling.

He didn't need to be told twice as he sighed in defeat and walked along side of the person who was once again his ticket to fill his empty stomach.

They reached the place and it was the same restaurant where they met. The only difference now is that it was still closed. Jellal scrunched his brows together as he thought once again. His previous state of mind switching on. What if she's going to ambush me? What if this place was meant to capture me and put me behind bars? What if—

"There you go again."

The ultramarine flinched.

"You think too much. I'm not gonna beat you up you know?" she chuckled before fishing out her keys to open the lock on the restaurant's door.

"Wait, you own this place?" he asked as if he'd been choked.

"Yup."

"Oh, no, no, no, no."

"What?"

"I appreciate what you're doing for me but, you're not opening your restaurant for my sake." he shyly told her.

Erza smirked, her brown eyes playful for the first time.

"It's five-thirty in the morning. This is the usual preparation time I set to open up the restaurant. Don't flatter yourself."

"Oh?"

Seconds ticked and passed.

"O-Oh." Jellal blushed and he cleared his throat as if to flush down the humiliation he had set upon himself.

"Come on in. What would you have?"

"Some coffee would be nice."

Erza rushed to the kitchen and set up the coffeemaker to start brewing the coffee. Jellal had picked a seat close to the counter as he felt the need to watch her every move. Though it's not like he was suspicious as to how she was preparing food, but rather he was just drawn to observe her from a close distance. Ultear was right. When he could no longer depend on himself, he'd have to find someone who he could depend on and that depending on someone wasn't a sign of weakness. In fact, it was a sign of strength, he concluded. Realizing that he wasn't strong enough to accomplish things by himself and accepting it as a weakness is strength. He smiled to himself.

The redhead later came back with his coffee and the aroma of it revitalized his body and senses.

"And what else?" Erza asked as if it was the only natural thing to do.

"Do you serve All American Breakfast?"

His question made the redhead laugh.

"For _foreigners _like you, yes. Yes we do."

Jellal smiled, catching up to her wit and nodding in agreement.

She once more rushed back to the kitchen. Jellal was grateful for even when he wasn't doing anything, he was being rewarded and pampered by this woman. He almost thought it was too good to be true. A few minutes later, the restaurant door opening broke his train of thought and his eyes settled on the figure that entered. She was a brunette with curly waves of hair.

"Morning~" she sing-sang, apparently still not aware that there was someone inside other than the owner. "Is it me or is the temperature dropping with each passing day? God it's freezing out there." her eyes caught sight of a mop of blue hair and she raised a brow.

"Um, Erza? Are we opening earlier starting now? 'Cause if that's the case, either Lucy failed to inform me or I didn't get the memo."

The owner reappeared with a handful of plates and settled it down for the waiting customer.

"No Cana, we still open at six."

"Then who is—oh." her eyes told Jellal she wasn't thinking anything decent for that particular matter.

"Don't 'oh' me. This man is Siegrain. He just moved in and what do we do for newcomers like him?"

Cana groaned in disappointment.

"And here I thought he was the one."

"The one?" Jellal curiously asked.

Erza slammed the table and the ultramarine tilted his head to the side. That was the first time he saw the redhead express annoyance and it kind of thrilled him to see what other expressions he could get out of her.

"If you don't wanna lose your job, you better get your ass in the kitchen. Now."

"Y-Yes, boss!"

Cana ran and disappeared from their sight until she was settled in her work station. Erza heaved off a distressed sigh and took a seat opposite Jellal's. He waited for her to say something so he stared at her until she broke the tense atmosphere.

"Eat."

The commanding done had him gulping and nodding. He grabbed his fork and knife and started eating his food.

"I'm sorry you got caught up in that." she managed to say.

"It's no big deal. Trust me, I've been caught up in worse situations." he told her, briefly remembering the encounter with Kyouko.

Erza just smiled and unlike the previous ones, this was hollow and empty.

"Say," he began, hoping somehow that a conversation would turn the gloomy things around. "This is really good."

"You're just really hungry."

"And you're just too humble." he drank the remaining coffee from the mug and Erza stood up to get him a glass of water.

"So," she placed the water down on the table. "What are you planning to do now that you're here?"

Now that she mentioned it...

"I don't know. But first I have to find a job."

"Consider it done."

"Eh?"

"We've been getting a lot of calls lately. Most of them from downtown. And the only deliverymen we have are Natsu and Gray. We are in need of one more." her hazel eyes bore into his own pair. "What do you say?"

He replied without a moment's hesitation.

"When do I start?"

* * *

**A/N: Yup, I'm back because Mashima-sensei still hasn't given us any Jerza moments. T^T Will update Poetry in Motion later. :)**


	4. Half-Baked Session

**Saving Grace**  
He realizes it's hard to run away from the ghosts of the past, and even harder to chase down the life just within his grasp.

**Chapter Four  
****Half-Baked Session**

Jellal was glad that they aren't required to have uniforms for it spared him the trouble and cost of having to provide one. Just right after he asked when he could officially start working, Erza responded by telling him that it was all up to him. He needed the job and he needed the money as soon as possible so he told her he could begin after lunchtime that day and they both had come to a mutual agreement.

The new resident of Hill Town came back to the restaurant right after taking a bath. Once inside, he scanned the room in search of Erza. From buzzing customers and the busy workers, he happened to catch a glimpse of that scarlet hair he'd obviously not mind getting used to. Unaware that he was in fact within her field of vision, he smirked at how focused the redhead was at work. Though she's got her hands full attending to the customers' special needs, the owner still managed to keep an eye on her employees. Jellal reluctantly approached her, wondering if he should tap her shoulder in order to get her attention.

He chose to clear his throat.

"Oh, Siegrain." she greeted, finally acknowledging him.

"I've never seen so many people in one place." he whistled, checking out the unbelievable number of people inside and the ones still pouring in.

Erza shrugged. "This is our easy case. You should see this place during the holidays."

She cleared her throat and he looked at her expectantly, waiting for instructions.

"I'm going to introduce you to the crew later, right now I'm just gonna pin point out each one and what tasks they do."

She first started at the one closest to their line of sight.

"The blonde waitress is Lucy. She's only been here for a month but she's adjusted pretty quickly." her eyes moved on to the next one. To Jellal, this lady was familiar. After all, it was the same person who jumped to conclusions when he first met her earlier that morning. "And you know Cana, of course."

They moved towards the kitchen next; the place where the magic happens. Jellal's mouth went slightly ajar at the display before his very eyes. This was, in fact, the very first time he'd set foot and set his eyes upon the heart of the restaurant. The food's aroma hung heavily in the air and he felt himself salivate instantly.

"That's Jet, Droy, Alzack, Bisca, Freed, Bixlow and Evergreen." her finger went on to point at the person with their given names one by one. Jellal merely nodded hoping that would reassure the redhead that he had already distinguished and identified who is who. "The big guy over there with a scar on his face is Laxus. He's second in command."

He raised a brow.

"Then who's the head?" Realizing a little too late how stupid his question sounded, he mentally slapped himself.

Erza, instead of being annoyed or taken aback by the seemingly insensitive query, just smiled.

"You're the boss and I'm an idiot."

"I won't argue with that. Come."

She brought him outside with two men: one was starting up the motorcycle's engine, while the other was busy loading the food inside the delivery box.

"Natsu, Gray," both looked at Erza at the same time and acknowledged the man beside her. "This is Siegrain. He'll be the new addition to our team. I'll leave him to you guys." with that, she gave them one last glance and then left.

Jellal watched her disappear inside and he turned his attention to the boys who seemed to be younger than him by a few years.

"It's nice to meet you!" the guy who was introduced to him named Natsu beamed.

"Yo," the other guy, Gray, greeted. "Our job's pretty simple, we get a call, we deliver. See that guy over there? His name's Max. He's the guy who gives us the signal. Oh and you don't have to be worried about getting lost. These babies all have GPS on them." he looked at the new resident with a hint of playfulness in his eyes. "You do know how to use them right?"

_Who the hell do you think you're talking to? I've used much more complicated navigation systems that I doubt you've ever seen or heard of!_

Jellal cleared his throat in hopes of pushing the thought to the deep recesses of his mind and answered with a humble nod instead.

* * *

Compared to his previous jobs that included either serious cases of injuries or life-and-death threatening situations this one though downright mundane and easy, came out as a refresher for him. He couldn't remember anything in the past where he was included in the country's workforce like the others, and he couldn't imagine he'd be doing it now. Something that's absolutely...

Normal.

"Oh, not the usual delivery boy huh? Are you new here kid?" the customer asked.

Jellal nodded.

"Well kid, I hope you're enjoying it here." There was something sincere about the way the middle-aged man beamed at him and it affected him in a way where he returned the smile too.

"I already am, sir." Jellal started the engine and donned his helmet to proceed to his next delivery. "Have a good day."

The rest of the day went well for the new resident and his other two workmates, Natsu and Gray eyed at him intensely. His heart skipped a beat. Could it be that they recognized him?

"You know..." Gray started. "During the end of the day, flame-brain and I are usually burnt out, but you...you look like you haven't broken a sweat!"

"Who are you calling a flame-brain you stripper?"

"I've been through worse." Jellal smirked.

"Seriously? Man, you're one tough cookie."

_Understatement of the year._

"Good job." came a familiar voice from around the corner.

"Ms. Scarlet," Jellal acknowledged.

"Please, I thought I told you to call me Erza?" she offered a smile.

"We're done for the day," Gray told the manager. "I'm gonna get going now. See you tomorrow."

After saying goodbye, the redhead turned to the new employee to ask him how the work was.

"So?"

"...so what?"

"How was your first day?"

"Great. Best job I had—have—in years."

Erza laughed this one but the seriousness in the tone of voice of Jellal made her sudden outburst die down.

"You're not kidding?"

It was Jellal's turn to laugh.

"Honest." he confirmed.

Erza sighed and said before turning around to leave, "You're one interesting man, Siegrain."

Jellal merely shrugged and watched the retreating form of the redhead.

"Yosh, everything's clean." Natsu wiped his sweat right after he finished conditioning the motorcycle couriers. "I'm heading back home first, you coming?" he asked Jellal.

The new resident was not paying any attention to the query and asked instead.

"Say Natsu, have you known Miss Scarlet for a long time now?"

Natsu raised a brow in confusion.

"Uh, yeah, I mean I've been working for a long time here now."

''How long is a long time?"

"Uh, four years? But hey! Why are we talking about me?" he pouted childishly. "Anyway, you should really stop calling her Miss Scarlet."

Now it was his turn to raise his brow. "Why is that?"

"First, it makes me cringe just by hearing it."

Jellal laughed.

"And second, she's not actually a 'miss' man."

"What do you mean?"

Natsu grabbed his stuff and looked at Jellal innocently.

"Oh, weren't you informed? She's married."

* * *

**A/N: Random update by a random author. :D**


	5. Coming Home

**Saving Grace**  
He realizes it's hard to run away from the ghosts of the past, and even harder to chase down the life just within his grasp.

**Chapter Five  
****Coming Home**

Erza Scarlet followed a certain timetable everyday. It was a carefully devised regimen that she has grown accustomed to, from the moment she wakes up until the final hour of the day. This day was no exception, of course. She shuffled out of bed and stretched heartily before heading to the sink to wash her face. The water upon her skin woke her up completely and as she looked into the mirror with the same reflection looking back at her, she inhaled deeply and muttered a promise all to herself—a reminder—before heading out of the bathroom to prepare breakfast. The morning meal was no different as she had always prepared them in the same way as always. Bacon and eggs and french toast. She didn't—doesn't—know why she would always cook the same thing in the morning but perhaps it had already become a habit of hers. She would briefly wonder how she ended up in "automatic mode", as she'd like to call it, and sometimes just firmly accept the fact that she's a schedule freak.

Bath comes right after breakfast. But unlike every woman who's known to take a long time in the shower, Erza was different. She'd only take the time needed as she had always believed that water used abundantly and excessively is water wasted. She wrapped a clean, fluffy towel around her frame before dressing up for the day.

And for the final act before heading out to work, she'd look admiringly at the sleeping form of her beautiful husband and lovingly, she'd hold him tight for a moment before kissing him goodbye.

* * *

Jellal's eye twitched; a minor and temporary setback for not blinking. It's not that he wasn't actually managing to blink, the problem was really how hard his gaze was boring to a round, silver metal worn by a single, long appendage. It was so intense that he even surprised himself without needing to do something as simple as bringing his eyelids down for a second. And if he had learned something about staring at it for what seemed like hours, he knew three things:

One, it's worn by Erza Scarlet.

Two, he was either getting rusty at observing people or too stupid for not noticing from the beginning that—

Three, that was a ring—a wedding ring—around her _ring_ finger, on her_ left_ hand.

He shortly thought why he was bothered by it until his train of thought was interrupted by someone.

"You're staring." the female redhead said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Oh," was his lame response before shrugging. "Bad habit. Apologies."

"For a moment there, I thought something was wrong." Erza smiled, a soft sound escaping her lips in what seemed to be a sigh of relief.

Jellal placed the last of his deliveries inside the box before securing them in place. He smiled warmly, clipping the strap of the helmet to fit his head.

"Nothing's wrong. Everything's perfect."

With that, he revved the motor and left to finish the task of the day.

"He sure has a talent for adjusting pretty quickly." came a comment from behind the redhead who watched the motorcycle heading downhill.

"Hm." Erza's lazy reply was practically a giveaway to the smirking brunette. She knew that whenever the manager would give off a reply as clipped as that, something else was going on in that pretty head of hers.

"Soooo?" Cana drawled, keeping her keen eyes for any expression that would trigger an emotion out of the other woman.

"Nothing. Get back to work."

And before Cana could complain, Erza left without another word.

* * *

Jellal was in the middle of delivering the last order when his phone rang. Sure as hell that it was going to be Ultear, he immediately picked up and spared her all the greetings.

"I have news." the voice sounded excited, almost ecstatic at the end of the receiver and that was enough to make Jellal's heart skip a beat. He knew that from that moment on, this was going to be the turning point of everything. "It's Kyouka, we've confirmed it. The body is hers."

His body succumbed to the gravity beneath him and he was on his knees as a shaky hand made a futile attempt to clasp the phone he had. As Ultear's voice called out to him, Jellal was immediately pulled back to reality. And it was, this time around, a good one. He had a lot of things to say, but his brain wouldn't allow him to process and put the words together to form a coherent sentence due to the positive feeling that was washing over him right at that moment. It was as if a curse had been lifted from his being and that he was a free man.

The feeling of elation had him soaring.

"Thanks, Ultear." was all he could manage to say before ending the call.

Jellal drove back happily to Bisland to get a bite for lunch. From there on out, he was taken aback when he saw that no one was actually there. No customers. No employees. No Erza. No one.

_Has the restaurant closed?_

Curious he went to the back to check things out. From there on out he was greeted with colorful strips of paper falling right at his face and a few giggles and boisterous laughter from the background. His nose also picked up the amazing smell of barbecue just before his eyes could adjust to a greeting sign "Welcome!" written in the most absurd color combinations he has ever seen. He had also seen his face and another woman's wonderfully photoshopped together in the center with another text on the bottom, "Welcome Back!"

Someone punched Jellal's arm playfully—although it hurt so much to be considered as an act of greeting—and another resounding laughter ringed.

"Oi Siegran, was it? Welcome!" the man was tall and possibly twice his size, he knew that from the lightning bolt scar and blond hair that this was Laxus, Erza had introduced him to, but Jellal was still confused at the moment.

"What's going on?" he blankly asked.

Someone shoved a beer in his hand. Another arm circled around his shoulder as if to reassure him.

"It's that time of month." Alzack told him.

"You know..." the fat and thin duo, Jet and Droy wiggled their brows together while chugging down their drinks.

The guys being subtle and cryptic weren't helping at all.

"Oh, you're back."

_Finally someone who could provide me some answers._

"Erza," so-called reliable woman strode to his side with another woman following the redhead. She was the total opposite of Erza in terms of appearance. She had angelic features—light hair, sweet smile and hopeful eyes.

"This is Mira." she introduced.

"Nice to meet you."

And abruptly, Jellal returned the pleasantries and shook hands. He turned to Erza for answers right after.

"You must be wondering what this is all for."

_I'll say._

"At every end of the month, we celebrate—beers, barbecue and all that. This time around to welcome back Mira and to welcome you. So you can say that this is like a triple celebration."

Jellal hummed a satisfied sound. He gazed upon the picture-perfect moment. The happy and welcoming atmosphere, the aroma of the food, the heartfelt conversations, the satisfied faces of everyone around him. All of this was unfamiliar territory compared to his loathsome and lonesome life before that he—

"Siegrain?" Erza's voice caught his attention, and the tears that threatened to fall down were bravely held back to contain his raw emotions.

"It...it feels like," he slowly faced her as if to give his gratitude. "It feels like coming home."

* * *

**A/N: Yes this is gonna be a Jerza :) I ship no one other than them lovelies~ Just give it some time~ And to show you how much of a sweetheart I am...here! This is what I've been working on in the next chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 6  
Closer and Closure**

He inspected the damage and looked at her.

"It's nothing major. With the right tools, I'm sure I can fix the rear brakes." he told her though he wondered why she was asking such a favor from him when she had someone else who could do it for her. Like Natsu or Gray, and then he gazed down to the ground.

_Or your husband. Don't any of these guys tinker with gears and automobiles?_

"That's great!" she squealed enthusiastically. "I have some equipment back at home."

Jellal raised a brow when she said no more. He was expecting something more along the lines of "Wait here, I'll get them." or "I'll ask my husband to deliver it here." but it never really did come. Instead she offered, "Let's go."

And that was enough to make him sputter an incoherent noise.

"What? Where?"

It was her turn to look flabbergasted.

"Where? Why, to my house silly."

She grabbed her bike and motioned for him to walk side by side along with her.

"Right..." he muttered to himself.

Jellal didn't know why he was suddenly all feeling nervous. Maybe it was because he was going with Erza Scarlet for a long walk. Alone. Or maybe he was invited to see what her home looks like for the first time. Or maybe—

"I've told my husband so much about you."

Jellal froze. If this was any other woman, he'd just brush it off or ignore that kind of statement. It's not like he has any hidden intent or something, but this time, as if though his system had betrayed him, Jellal felt guilty of doing something that was obviously some sort of advance to get closer to the redhead.

"He's looking forward to meeting you actually."

_Oh, joy._


	6. Closer And Closure

**Saving Grace**  
He realizes it's hard to run away from the ghosts of the past, and even harder to chase down the life just within his grasp.

**Chapter 6  
Closer and Closure**

**Warning: Typos, grammar errors. Lol**

* * *

Jellal had to do some grocery shopping during the weekend. Since he's only been assigned for the deliveries during weekdays, he figured he'd have to go and get some work done.

"Oh, if it isn't Sieg!" Jellal winced. He knew his change of name was ridiculous and to hear that name butchered even more to a shorter version had given him to urge to punch the person in the gut. He turned around to acknowledge whoever was that called out to him.

It was a co-worker. The brunette who had always teased him for quite some time now. Beating her up was easy and being a skilled maestro like he was before, he could do it and get away with it.

_Not. You're a changed man now, you retard._ he chastised.

"Cana," he greeted. The woman recognized his uneasiness and decided to pat—or more like slam at—his back to brush off the awkwardness away.

"So, where are you going with that bike of yours?" It wasn't her business. And usually Jellal would better like to do things alone. His way. But he figured socializing was an aspect he'd like to improve so he told her.

"Grocery shopping, near the harbor." he filled her in. In an attempt to try his luck with conversing he added. "Do you know a good place to find fresh fish?"

As expected, Cana's eyes lit up eventually. She told him the place near the harbor and offered to escort him there since she had nothing else to do. Apparently, it was her day off too with Lucy probably taking her place. Jellal politely rejected her offer but being the persistent woman that she was, she managed to talk him into letting her accompany him. The brunette rode at the back of his bike and the two of them headed straight downhill. The moment they reached the bottom, she hopped off and straightened out the wrinkles on her skirt. He watched her as Cana reached for the phone inside her pocket.

"My friend's here too, shall I go get her first before I show you the place?"

Jellal curtly nodded and he followed her as she led the way. She brought him to a mechanic's shop just right around the corner. They entered the small establishment and the place reeked of oil and rust.

"Levy!" Cana called out. A certain female with a smaller frame sharing the ridiculous shade of hair that Jellal had came running towards them. The brunette gave the other a tight hug before releasing her.

"Why do you always hang out in this place?" Cana asked with a joking contempt. The woman called Levy just giggled in response. Jellal watched as the two of them conversed yet still mindful of his surroundings. There were a lot of broken machines around the corner, bolts and nuts and other metal scraps and parts littered everywhere. He noticed a tall and muscular guy heading their way. His long, black hair was tied up from the top of his head and Jellal noticed a handful of piercings that decorated his face. Apart from that, he reeked of oil and sweat.

_This must be the mechanic._

"Yo, Cana!" came out a deep voice that almost sounded malicious to Jellal's ears. He brushed it off when the brunette actually gave the man a playful shove.

"I see why Levy's been visiting frequently!" she hinted at him to which she only earned a confused brow raised in response.

"C-Cana!" Levy blushed.

Jellal glanced from the short girl to the towering man and finally got the message in Cana's words. He nearly laughed but stopped himself from doing so because it would've sounded rude if he as so much burst out of the blue.

"Well, that aside this is my friend and co-worker. He's Siegrain."

Jellal politely bowed in greeting.

"This is Levy and that smelly mechanic is Gajeel."

"Oi! I do not smell!" he snarled back at Cana and she only laughed at him.

"Well I'd like to stay around some more but I've got to go show Siegrain around."

They waved goodbye and went on their way.

"Does that Gajeel guy even know?" Jellal had asked her while choosing fish to store and cook for the coming days. Cana just laughed at his question and Jellal had been wondering if it was the right question or he just went on and crossed the line. The rest of the minutes that followed with mostly the brunette doing the talking. When they had finished up, it was nearly noon time and Jellal figured he'd have to go and have lunch somewhere. He tried asking Cana out for lunch to repay her for accompanying him and showing the store but Cana apologized saying she can't and that she plans to return to the repair shop and hang out some more with her friends. Jellal then decided to just retire for the day and have lunch at home.

He only reached the corner of the street near Bisland when he noticed Erza on the ground with a serious expression. His mind told him to just be on his way but his feet betrayed him as they brought him to approach her and help her with her predicament.

"What's wrong?" Erza whipped her head to find Jellal along with his own bicycle.

"My brakes are broken." she sighed sadly. "I'd go down the hill to ask Gajeel to repair it but that'd take me too long and I can't leave the restaurant alone without anyone managing it."

Jellal just nodded before blurting out a ridiculous suggestion.

"I can take it to Gajeel if you want. Cana introduced me to him earlier when she went and accompanied me to go shopping."

The redhead blinked. When she managed to recover she shook her head.

"It's your day off. I can't take that away from you. Besides, don't you already have plans?"

"It's not work. I'd really like to help." he sincerely told her. His mind screamed at him to just up and leave her to deal with her own business but his body refused to even move an inch away. Erza stared at him long enough to elicit another reply, this time a positive one.

"I'm still thinking it's not a good idea." she voiced her thoughts out, eyelashes grazing her cheeks as she brought them down. The redhead seemed to be deep in thought as she repeated that motion over and over with a finger under her chin. "Say, you have a bike too. How do you maintain it?"

There it was. The dreaded question that will lead to the inevitable. His head screamed at him to tell her that he has his own mechanic but fuck he's only a new resident in Hill Town so that couldn't possibly happen.

"I maintain it myself." he had no choice as he told her the truth.

Erza's eyes lit up. And he knew the next one coming would be like a big wave crashing on him.

"So you _do _know something about bike maintenance! Can you check up on it?"

He had been cautious around her after knowing that she was a married woman. And this was one of the reasons why he shouldn't stay here and just flat out refuse her request.

_That's right, just reject it Jellal._ he told himself.

But his mouth was a motherfucker. "Okay." he croaked.

He inspected the damage and looked at her.

"It's nothing major. With the right tools, I'm sure I can fix the rear brakes." he told her though he wondered why she was asking such a favor from him when she had someone else who could do it for her. Like Natsu or Gray, and then he gazed down to the ground.

_Or your husband. Don't any of these guys tinker with gears and automobiles?_

"That's great!" she squealed enthusiastically. "I have some equipment back at home."

Jellal raised a brow when she said no more. He was expecting something more along the lines of "Wait here, I'll get them." or "I'll ask my husband to deliver it here." but it never really did come. Instead she offered, "Let's go."

And that was enough to make him sputter an incoherent noise.

"What? Where?"

It was her turn to look flabbergasted.

"Where? Why, to my house silly."

She grabbed her bike and motioned for him to walk side by side along with her.

"Right..." he muttered to himself.

Jellal didn't know why he was suddenly all feeling nervous. Maybe it was because he was going with Erza Scarlet for a long walk. Alone. Or maybe he was invited to see what her home looks like for the first time. Or maybe—

"I've told my husband so much about you."

Jellal froze. If this was any other woman, he'd just brush it off or ignore that kind of statement. It's not like he has any hidden intent or something, but this time, as if though his system had betrayed him, Jellal felt guilty of doing something that was obviously some sort of advance to get closer to the redhead.

"He's looking forward to meeting you actually."

_Oh, joy._

He changed the topic and offered a more sensible one.

"Are you fine with leaving the restaurant?" he asked, trying to at least calm himself and start a conversation that didn't revolve around him or her or her husband.

"Hm? No, you're right. They're more than capable and besides, my house is nearer compared to Gajeel's shop. It's a thirty-minute walk."

"Thirty?" he gasped in surprise. "That's far! I've been to Gajeel's for just ten minutes. Isn't his shop closer?"

It was her turn to look surprised. "You've been to Gajeel's shop in just _ten minutes_? By _foot_?"

Ah.

"N-No, of course not. I rode on my bike there." he looked away to prevent her from seeing how ashamed he was and was sure that his face would give away that information. "Well if you really want to repair it today, why don't you tell your husband to send it to us?" he asked her, eyes directly focusing on her. Erza stopped walking for a moment and Jellal feared that somehow he had pressed too much on his luck to try and be personally casual about it.

"Oh, I can't let him do that." was her sweet reply.

_Why not?_ He wanted to ask that but sensing that he didn't want to make a bigger fool of himself and risk his friendly relationship with her, he kept his mouth shut. The way back to Erza's house was long and silent. Just like the tattooed man, Erza didn't seem to pester him with questions that would make him uncomfortable. She respected his attitude and behavior; ever since they first met, he had honestly told her that socializing wasn't his thing and talking wasn't his forte. After more minutes of comfortable silence, they reached her house.

"I'd ask you to sit down in the living room, but I'm in a hurry to get back to work." she took off her sandals as she headed in. "Anything you'd like? Juice? Soda?"

"Just water." he told her and she nodded before disappearing inside.

Jellal waited for her to come back, and it was taking her far too long compared to their walk. It was his imagination of course but he couldn't shake off the feeling that her husband might see her.

_What am I so afraid of? It's not like I'm courting her._ he scolded himself.

Thankfully, the redhead returned with his water. "Here, let me just get the tools and my husband."

He gulped a huge amount of water as he prepared himself for whatever was coming. He had to ready his manners no matter how rusty they were so that he wouldn't offend both the couple. He's a changed man now and he had to do this. To prove that he's more than just a shadow melting one with the darkness. Jellal heard only one set of footsteps and he turned his head to meet them.

His eyes widened in surprise as his gaze only saw the redhead.

_Where was her husband?_

His sight wandered off to his back thinking that she was playing a game with her but the moment he returned to meet her gaze, his eyes wandered to the toolbox clasped in one hand and to the other holding...a vase? Why would she be holding—his eyes went wide in realization. He was about to say something to her when she beat her to it.

"Siegrain, meet my husband."

There were three things that Jellal had realized that day. One, that wasn't just a vase—that was an urn, holding the ashes of a loved one. Two, Erza was really married, but Natsu seemed to have forgotten the most important part of it all that she was yes, a widow. And three, was a question that had been haunting him up until now. Why is she opening up, letting him into her world?

* * *

**A/N: "**And for the final act before heading out to work, she'd look admiringly at the** sleeping form** of her beautiful husband and lovingly, she'd hold him tight for a moment before kissing him goodbye."

This is taken from chapter four of the story and this was how I described Erza's husband to make things more interesting. I'm sorry if I led you guys to believing she was totally bound to another man. :D


	7. Shifting Tides

**Saving Grace**  
He realizes it's hard to run away from the ghosts of the past, and even harder to chase down the life just within his grasp.

**Chapter 7  
Shifting Tides**

* * *

He was passive the last couple of days. On low profile with everything that he does. He kept his mind focus on work, his talking average, and his social interaction at minimum. He only does what's asked of him, never questioning, arguing or initializing an attempt to prolong or start a conversation. He'd figured this was for the best after the incident with the redhead. He knew her husband was dead and the remains of him was still somewhere with her—literally. He had the courage, or more like, the spur of the moment and a surge of curiosity to ask. He wasn't reckless, spouting nonsense. If anything, during his days in the sidelines, he was careful but precise. That time wasn't any different. He started off with apologizing, next came sympathizing and then of course, the usual to make both of themselves better and reassured—"are you okay?".

She wasn't over him; not completely and not yet as he had observed based from how she answered. Eye contact, body language, and voice. She wasn't over him but she accepted what had happened to her partner. The cards were laid down for the taking and since the situation was irreversible, he pressed on just to take advantage of her vulnerability because he knew when people are at their best or worst, honesty comes tumbling down from their mouths. He asked how her husband died and at she didn't answer. She just stood there and looked at him and then to the floor with a tongue darting out of her lips. And as she faced him one more time, he didn't if the expression she was making was real or a mask. Erza was difficult to read and he was stupid for even trying to. His defense mechanism kicked in; he apologized for stepping over the line and she just shook her head and smiled. She told him it was fine and she meant it and she told him, someday she'd tell him. It wasn't a promise, it was a hollow statement to make him leave her alone for now and give him the time to ponder on the possibility. Jellal just nodded to this and continued on fixing her bike which was becoming more interesting as he turned the bolts and nuts and adjusted every minute detail. When he was finished, she thanked him and the redhead, being the good conversationalist that she was, somehow turned things around and they cycled their way back to the restaurant.

It was when she was nearing her workstation when he called out to her and asked if he could ask one more question. She tilted her head to side to do his worst and he asked her.

"Why tell me this?"

He was expecting an answer beneficial to him, but he knew the odds weren't in his favor.

"Why not? Everyone else knew except you, so I just felt responsible for it."

* * *

He came early for work; he figured that instead of spending the rest of his time staring at the ceiling, he'd instead make himself productive. He saw her talking to some delivery guys and based on the expression on her face, there was something wrong. When the conversation ended, he figured he should approach her. He was hesitant yes, but if there was anything he could do to help, he'd do it. Gladly. He brought a hand to rub the back of his neck and inhaled deeply.

_Here we go._

"Hey, good morning." he greeted.

Erza turned her head to the side and smiled as if the conversation they had never existed. There was no hint of awkwardness in her gesture and Jellal can now conclude that, either she was considering him to be a part of her circle or she was just being her usual, kind self. Jellal had some experience with people similar to his boss. He'd encountered them during his job where meeting different people. And just like them, Erza was the type of person who's nice and good to everybody but somehow appears to be withdrawn when it comes to expressing herself. Judging from the way she talks, converses, acts, thinks, Jellal guessed that she was a secretive person with a presentable and approachable exterior and an impenetrable interior.

It was like trying to crush an armor or crossing a labyrinth with high walls.

"Oh, Siegrain. Good morning to you too."

"Is there a problem?" he cut to the chase, looking down at the few boxes situated on the floor just right beside their feet.

"Hm, no. None." she was about to pick up the boxes when Jellal beat her to it.

"Let me help." Jellal stacked the boxes up and lifted them with ease, the freshness of the vegetables giving off a pleasant smell.

"Let me repay you for fixing my bike." she suddenly blurted out and the tattooed man went to a sudden halt before gathering his senses to recover and reply. He put the boxes down inside the storage room and scratched his cheek.

"You don't have to." he stared at her.

She stared back.

"But I want to. Well, I still don't have any idea on how to, but is there anything you have in mind?" she asked, completely honest and serious about it.

"Nothing." he shook his head for further emphasis.

Erza frowned at this.

"Then I'll think of something." her persistence was starting to make him uncomfortable, and since they were the only ones present at work, he found it to be even more unlikely and uncomfortable for them to be alone together.

"I...better get back to work."

* * *

The man had been unconscious for weeks now. He was still hooked up to the hospital's machines, with the nurses and the doctors keeping track of his condition. He had several wounds that have already healed and a few burns on his arms. His steady heartbeat was an indication that he was still alive. Everyday, the nurse assigned to him would make rounds and give him whatever he needed and at one particular time that a nurse came across him, the nurse ran out of the room and called for the doctor.

As the man opened his eyes, flashbacks of living nightmares appeared on the blank, white ceiling like a film rolling the credits. Snippets of memories appeared before him. Lahar, Kyouka, the operation, the man slashing at his face and kicking him on the stomach and his head hitting the wet asphalt with a heavy thud enough to draw a concussion. After that, everything was just blank and now he found himself lying on the hospital bed weak and hopeless. The man slowly brought his hand to feel the gash still aching on the left side of his face. The wound was deep, and long, starting from his left temple and extending diagonally down to his cheekbone just below his eye. There were two more scars connected to it, but they were lighter and smaller. His poor hearing picked up the sound of a door opening and he shifted slightly to see the doctor coming.

"I see that you're awake. I'm Dr. Porlyusica." the medical attendant greeted with a worried look in her eyes. "Do you know who you are?"

It took a while before the man could process everything that the doctor had said, but nevertheless, he attempted to answer as he darted out his tongue to lick his chapped lips and croaked out his name.

"Yes. I am the 2nd Head in the first division fn the Criminal Investigation Bureau, Mest Gryder."

* * *

**A/N: Yup, someone had a direct contact with Jellal during the operation! The plot's going to build up now :) And as always thank you!**

**Catndhat - Yes she is now, isn't she? :D Now if she would just get over her hubby. XD**

**Sakom Raiya - *gives weed lol.**

**Vermilion Steps -W****ow you've guessed it! lol guess we think alike. xD**

**Guest 08/15 - Aww thank you!**

**Ash Lite - Ll i also thought about giving Erza's hubby a deadly disease but that would be so cruel. :D Thanks for your support! Yup, Erza's weird as ever.**

**amnaK96 - LOL, still haven't decided if I will name Erza's hubby. Depends if the plot demands, if at some point I find it necessary to, then I will reveal his name and you have my (infinite) thanks for pointing out a rather silly mistake of Cana calling Jellal Siegrain :)**

**cakeLoverDK - I'm sorry if you feel cheated T - T and yes to Erza being single. :D**

**Deathgod10 - Simon? It could be anybody but I won't give my thoughts out just yet. I'll leave it to you to guess. Way more fun that way right? :)**

**Moonghast49 - Yup, sneaky and dirty XD Thank you for your support!**

**Guest 15/15 - Uhuh, though I'm trying my best to get more characters involved. I find it hard though so wish me luck and thanks for the support!**

** Thank you **wordslinger, Louise24Zoldyck, blackbutterfly101, tortoislume, sanadoorani, mystwalker25, Mariohno, TheSecretDreamer, heart sunken, Arcobaleno-lover , grip on gravity **and to everyone else reading/following/fave this~**


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